I Can't Get the Vampire Rogue to Romance Me

Chapter 95 - Fireside Chat

Valerian's smiling face stiffened when she didn't answer his question.

She could sense his wariness, that something wasn't what he expected. I suppose most things in his life that were unexpected were bad, she thought and her heart ached with how familiar that feeling was to her.

But there was what he said to Artmond, about being free if he just killed his fiancé.

Looking down at the dying fire between them, Evangeline pressed her fingers to her upper lip and mouthed voiceless, "What an ass."

Immediately, the point burned away, the last one for the day.

She knew then she had a choice of dialogue at this point in Valerian's relationship tree.

She could say, "Yes, I like you very much. I've liked you for quite a long time."

Or she could say, "You shouldn't have said those things to Artmond."

One he would approve of and one he would get defensive about. Both might have further their story together.

But I have free will, she thought. I can say whatever I actually want.

"Why did you give into Reverie's demands?"

Evangeline knew immediately that it wasn't the right question. Her stomach flipped and sank. Valerian's eyes flashed wide, his smile shattering. Whatever romantic route they might have taken that night closed hard as he stood up, then turned to stalk away to his alcove in the far corner.

A soft chuckle drew her attention. Looking over her shoulder, Evangeline flinched in surprise as the Phoenix settled their feathers.

"How long have you been sitting there?" she asked them, cocking her head to one side.

Long enough, the Phoenix said, in her mind. And frankly, I've been getting very tired of waiting for you to strike up a conversation with me.

Evangeline flinched again. "Oh, sorry. I... I didn't realize you wanted to talk any of us to..."

Not just anyone. Clearly. They ruffled their feathers. But it looks like you could use a little guidance. Your quest is not going very well.

Evangeline furrowed her brows. "My quest..."

To bring your employer a Phoenix egg. The bird fixed her with a pointed gaze and Evangeline understood for the first time what an hawk's gaze on a mouse must feel like.

"I wasn't going to do it," she said. "I know there is probably a way out of the deal, if I just keep moving."

We both know that you've got several deals going at once and you keep losing the thread of your story. The Phoenix looked in the direction Valerian is going. You know that if you want to get him to fall in love with you, assassinating this Lady that his sister wants will be the best, fastest way to do it. He will trust you more after that and it furthers his own agendas.

Evangeline sighed. "Yes, I know," she said.

Do you have moral compunctions about such an act? It is in the purview of your character.

Turning over that last word in her mind, she wasn't quite sure what the Phoenix meant by it. They were taking about morals so they must have meant character as a person, but Evangeline also felt it could mean... But what?

"All my Meta points are gone," she realized, speaking the thought out loud.

Excuse me? What are you speaking about?

Evangeline gestured to herself. "My special ability. My Meta power. I've noticed this strange side effect that when I use up all my points, I forget something very important about me. About my past. I always remember it when I wake up, you know after a long rest and all my points are restored, but it always leaves me feeling disconnected. There is something about what you said that I feel like I should have a deeper understanding of, but right now," she shook her head, "it's just gone."

The Phoenix waited patiently with no comment on that revelation.

"Anyway, as to your question... Well, yeah, I don't worry too much about killing when they come after me or it's necessary to keep surviving, but this..."

Isn't it necessary to keep surviving? The Phoenix prompted. You need to get that amulet back for Valerian to continue traveling with you and you need Artmond to not be bound down by his marriage as well for the same reason. Assassinating this Lady Enrichetta solves both problems. And you already know that she won't be truly killed in the process.

"Simply made into a vampire? Like that's better.

Again, what is the problem? You like vampires.

Evangeline furrowed her brows. "Wait. Why do you care?"

The Phoenix picked at a piece of bread someone left behind in a bowl. I have my own reasons for wanting to keep going. I have somewhere I am trying to get to and you lot are the ones carting me there, albeit in a strangely magical way. I do not wish to linger here longer than is absolutely necessary. So whatever I need to do to help you keep going on as quickly as possible and frankly this seems the most straightforward path. Just get the task over with so we can move on to bigger problems.

"Yes, but I don't think Hagor, Sigismund, or Artmond are going to simply go along with it. I'm not sure where Harrowheart will fall on the issue, but..."

You are their leader. The decision is up to you and you know it. They will play along with whatever you decide which is why I am talking to you and not them.

"Is this just a game to you?" Evangeline demanded, though she had no idea where that came from.

Isn't it to you? The Phoenix responded, so play the game and let's get on with it.

Then they flapped their wings to leap into flight, though they didn't get far, because of the lower ceiling of the sewer. But glided far enough to only need to walk a couple more struts before she settled in a sort of nest made of scraps of cloth. Evangeline had no idea where the scraps came from, but it wasn't nearly as important as what the Phoenix had just said to her.

As if getting on with killing someone was so easy.

Wasn't it?